Madonna’s 1986 hit song “Papa Don’t Preach” is known for its rebellious message and catchy pop melody. But one element that really makes the song stand out is the synthesizer sound used prominently in the intro and throughout the track – the distinctive Marcato Strings preset of the E-mu Emulator II digital sampling synthesizer.
Released in 1984, the Emulator II was a state-of-the-art sampler keyboard that allowed musicians to record and manipulate real instrument sounds. One of the most popular factory presets was Marcato Strings, a bright, stabbing sound created from samples of a string ensemble playing short, accented notes. This preset became an iconic ’80s sound heard on countless pop and dance tracks.
On “Papa Don’t Preach,” the Marcato Strings are used to play the song’s signature three-note motif as well as to punctuate and fill out the arrangement. The aggressive, slightly synthetic quality of the sound perfectly complements the song’s defiant lyrics and Madonna’s impassioned vocal delivery. Along with the drum machine beat and electric guitars, the Marcato Strings help give the track its modern, cutting-edge pop production.
The use of the preset on this song is a great example of the influence of digital synthesizers and sampling on ’80s popular music. The Emulator II and other keyboards like the Fairlight CMI and Synclavier brought entirely new palettes of sounds to recordings. Producers could now access sounds, from string orchestras to choirs, that were previously difficult or expensive to record, as well as transform those sounds in new ways. Digital synths defined much of the sound of ’80s pop.
While the Emulator II is no longer manufactured, the Marcato Strings sound lives on as a popular preset in modern virtual instruments and sample libraries. Madonna’s “Papa Don’t Preach” remains a classic example of how the sound was used in an influential hit song, cementing its status as an iconic ’80s timbre that evokes the exciting futurism of that musical era.
Here’s a Kontakt Patch with the sound sampled from a EmulatorII
Have fun with this one!